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Events to Explore Publishing from Christian Perspective

Submitted by Karen Bos on Thu, 2006-10-05 10:18

A series of presentations during a two-day forum at Hope College will explore the art and craft of publishing from a Christian perspective.

The public is invited to the events, which run Thursday-Friday, Oct. 19-20, and include a keynote address by award-winning author Walter Wangerin Jr. as well as four talks featuring representatives of Zondervan, the Grand Rapids-based international Christian publishing company. Admission is free.

Wangerin will present the keynote, exploring the role of Christianity in today's culture, on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Diment Memorial Chapel. He has written more than 30 books, including "The Book of the Dun Cow," which won both the National Book Award and The New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year.

The forum will begin with the presentation "The Lifecycle of a Book - Idea to Production" by Lyn Cryderman, vice president and publisher for books with Zondervan on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. in the Maas Center auditorium.

The second address, "Your Company Mission Statement: Does It Make a Difference," will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 4 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium by Douglas Lockhart, president and chief executive officer of Zondervan. Lockhart's talk is sponsored by the college's Baker Scholars student organization.

Wangerin's address in the evening will conclude Thursday's activities.

The forum will resume during the college's Chapel service in Dimnent Memorial Chapel on Friday, Oct. 20, at 10:30 a.m., which will feature the presentation "Does Denzel Washington Read the Bible?" by Paul Caminiti, publisher of Zondervan's Bible division.

A panel of representatives from Zondervan will conclude the forum with the discussion "What Is Christian about a Christian Business?" on Friday, Oct. 20, at 11 a.m. in the Maas Center auditorium.

In addition to the public presentations, the invited speakers will participate in events scheduled specifically for Hope students and members of the faculty.

Wangerin holds the Jochum Chair at Valparaiso University in Indiana, where he teaches literature and creative writing, and is writer-in-residence. In addition to "The Book of the Dun Cow," his books range from "The Book of God," which sets the biblical story in its own cultural and social settings; to "As for Me and My House," which is about marriage; "Reliving the Passion," a meditation on the death of Jesus; and, most recently, "Jesus, A Novel." He has also written children's books including "Water," "Come Down," "Mary's First Christmas," "Thistle" and "Potter." His "The Crying for Vision" is a mystical tale about a Lakota boy's effort to save his people.

In addition to its Grand Rapids headquarters, Zondervan has offices in Miami, London and Sao Paolo, and has more than 360 employees. Zondervan has more than 1,500 authors, ranging from homemakers, to business people, politicians, celebrities, theologians, scholars, philosophers and ministry professionals. Zondervan maintains more than 5,000 Bible, book and other product titles in its catalog, and publishes approximately 40 Bible editions, 125 books, more than 200 gift items and 50 new media products each year.

In an effort to exhibit its Christian testimony, and in conjunction with the charitable arm of its parent company, HarperCollins Publishers, Zondervan has an extensive giving program. Zondervan supports organizations, educational endeavors, health and human services, and civic and cultural activities that enrich the community and impact the well-being of the company and its employees.

As Zondervan's president and CEO, Lockhart is responsible for managing all of Zondervan's business operations and works with parent company HarperCollins Publishers on strategic planning and cooperative operations initiatives. He was named president and CEO in 2005 from his position as executive vice president of marketing. Prior to joining Zondervan in 2002, Lockhart was vice president of marketing for McGraw-Hill Children's publishing division.

The Hope College Baker Scholars sponsoring Lockhart's talk are an elite group of business students who plan a career in business or future graduate business studies. The intent of the Baker Scholars program is to provide the students with learning experiences and opportunities outside the normal curriculum of the college. The students are selected based on their potential as future leaders of America's organizations and institutions.

Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located on College Avenue at 12th Street. The Maas Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 11th Street.